Automatic screw making machine and the like



April 9, 1935. A. F. J. WRIGHT AUTOMATIC SCREW MAKING MACHINE AND THELIKE Filed Sept. 25 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M1 7W x April 9, 1935. I A. F.J. WRIGHT 1,997,353

AUTOMATIC SCREW MAKING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 25, 1933 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Fzg.4 10 26 13 8 V1 10 28 ,N w 23 15 J 3 w, y as 11 25 27fifi lfi" 7 L\ 26 J INVENTOR HTTORNEY gliwi Patented Apr. 9, 1935AUTOMATIC SCREW MAKlNG MACHINE AND'THE LIKE PATENT OFFICE AlbertFrederick James Wright, Walthamstow, l l England" a ApplicationSeptember25, 1933, Serial No. 690,933 r -In Great Britain october 7,1932l l 3 I 17 Claims. An application has been filed in EnglanddatedYth'October 1932.

In the machine with which the inventionis concerned, the tools arebrought into and out of 5 eperation by being moved towards and awaynomthe center or 'rot'ationof the machine. For this purpose, they maybemouhtetlsoas to be moved inditidually or they may be mounted on a toolplate which is movable relativelyte the head oi" the machine. The toolsor the tool plate firesubjected to a centrifugal force which variesaccording to the position of the tools or the tool plate and thiscentrifugal force has to be o've'r= come before the tools can be movedtowards the enter rated-ea If the-speed'of rotation of the is high; asis the case in automatic making machines, our the tools and the partspartaking of their movement are heavy,

this centrifugal iorc'eis' duite' eoiisiderable and,

thereforea considerable expenditure of energy is involved i'riovingthetools and members of l 'bn struction have to -be provided for thishhi'pose. Further, the toolsare most'conveniently displaced by a pivotalmovement transmitted' to them by a member moved parallel to the axisofthe machine. The displacing mechanism has of necessity to include amember which is inclined to the axis of the machine so that only g acomponent of the force exerted on the-displac ing member is availablefor displacing. the tools. It is therefore of great advantage-to providemeans fdi" balancing the centrifugal force onthe male or the tool platewhich tends to drive the latterinto a position in which this centrifugalforce increases as then," the displacing force-re:- quired isinotsubstantially greaterthan that re- .quired were the parts at rest, This,in fact, is done in accordance with the invention in which means areprovided which store up energy when a tool or the tool plate is movedaway from the center of rotation of the machine and thus provide a forcewhich balances the said centrifugal l force and'which is availabletoassist in moving the tool or the tool plate towards the center ofrotation. The preferred means for thispurpose ings, in which r- Figures4 'ing the tool plate.

tool plate 5 which is piv'ot ed to the rotating head uto swing about itspivot pin 6.

Figure l is a sectional elevation of an automatic machine in accordancewiththe'inventionand having'twotools. l l. i t

Figure 2 isan e delevation showing: the tool plate Figure 3 is a sectionon the line, III+III in Figure1.\ 1

and 5, are sectional elevations corresponding to theiright hand end ofFigure lshowing modified for'msof construction. 10

Figures 6 and '7 are sections on the lineV IV I in Figure 4 and VII VI Iinliigure 5 respect ively; IV t y Figure 8 is a perspective-vilewo f adetail of construction, and Figure 9 is a plan view of the device formovi- In the machine illustrated there-are two tools I and 2 which areheldin holders 3 and 4 on the of the machine on a pin l The material isheld in-the' split c ollets 2 2" an 22 and does not rotate and the toolsare broughtonto'fit by a pivotal movement of the plate 5.

The-pivotal movement of the tool plateis obtained by means of the membershown separately in Figure 8. It consists of a barrel portion I having aradial flange'B, a projection 9 of square -'section parallel to the axisof the drum and a pin 10 ofi circularsection extending from theprojection- 9 at an angleto' the axis of the drum.

This member'is mounted onthe rotated sleeve i l and rotates with it andthe pin Ill engages in a hole 12 in the tool plate 5; A ring I3 ismounted on ball bearings 54 onthe barrel portion 1 of the shiftingmember 1 and is prevented from moving axially on this member by,theflange 8 and a locking ring ii; The ring 13 can togetherwith ,theshifting member be moved axially on the sleeve l l bymeans of a pivotedlever l6 (Figur 9) actuated bya cam operated shaft ll.

It is clear that if the shaft ll is moved, for exampleso, that the point.of attachment to it of the lever .16. moves into the dottedposition,the shiftingmember 'lwill be moved axially and'as' the pin H] issituated diametrically opposite the pivot pin 6 offthe tool plate 5 andis inclined to the axis of the tool plate; thelatter will becaused This"pivotal movement brin'gsone of'the tools land 2 into "contact with thematerial. 1 To'bring the other toolinto the working position; themovement of; I

the shaft H is reversed so that the: tool plate its 7 its dead centerinto a displaced position on the other side. 7

These machines are made to run at speeds of 5,000 revolutions per minuteand higher and it returning the tool plate to its dead center position;

especially in an arrangementin which the'pivotal movement of the toolplate is caused by'nieans" of an axial movement of a' shifting member.

Provision is therefore made in the bhstriition illustrated for the forcewhich tends to urgeth' tool plate out of its dead center'position tobe'stored up so as to be available to hel'pin' restoring the tool plate tothat position. In Figures 1 to 3 rubber blocks l5 and [9 are providedforthis purpose. These-rubber block's are situated as'seenclearlyfiniFigure 3 in recesses, in the tool plate so that when the'tool, plate is moved-out of its dead center position one; or theother'of them is compressed between the tool plateand aipart 2 9 or ,2!of the ,sleeve H; Thuswhenthe: tool plate is returned'to the dead centerposition-, the energy stored in the rubber block during itscongpressioniis released and helps inthis movement. The force tendingtomake the toolplate swing, out of the dead center position isproportipnal to the displacement of the plate out of that position andif the member in which the energy ,dueto this-force'isstoredapproximately q ir w ere he ar a restobeys Hooke7s law then it is clearthat on the return movement the force required for this movement shouldnot be greater than that re- An alternative device is shown in Figuresland Q -llere, instead 9f the rubber blocks 18 and I9,

s pri ngs za and 24jare used. These are housed dian letrically oppositebores in a member 25 xg iqithe l eps! d l a di asl 6- n the tool plateand have plungers Zl and 28 which are pressed by the springs g3, and 24against the closed ends of the slot 2 6. a The reasoning applied abovemakes it clear that the desired efiects-is' ba pil V V l v.se fil sarran ement a e of s ibl F mple, the restoring force might be storedin-a ressible fluid such as air in a chamber for ed between the toolplate and one otthe rotating parts of the head of the machine. Such anarrangement is, shown in Figures '5 and Here the member 25 has twoparallel blind bores .28 and 38 in each, of which there is a closelyfitting pmhge'rei, 32, the outer end of whichbears against anjeiid ofthe slot is the tool plate '5. I Wil readi y 1 95, 1 th s d v e p a inexactly, the same jfashion as that illustrated 'iniFigures 4 aridlfi'.Whenthe toolplate is-moved ositibdfthe air behind the plunger jin'dn'ebore is compressed and that Thehind the pl 'er gin the other :borefisrarifie'd 1 s ,t reto'r'e,storedupwhichisavaila e or restor'ingthe toolplate, to its "original position I. w V V V V V O'therfarrang'mentscould also be easier dis- 'pla'ci'ngthe tool 'plat'e' snch 'as' a sleevehaving a pin'pass'ing through the 'tool plate and having a ca'nrslotinit "so that by axial displacement of *a pininjthis slot, the sleeve-wascausedfto 'rotate yrelativelyto the sleeve H. Again, the tool plate,

need t nece saril e si i pivotal movement to bring the tools into andoutof-ac- *fromsaid'axis'of rotation i i iirIn a machine; of the type setforth, a tool tion. For example, the tool plate might be made with twoflats on its rear face which registered with corresponding flatsprojecting from the rotating head so that iswas displaced by a slidingmovement. In such an arrangement, the resistance to thissliding movementmight be lessened by the, provision of balls or rollers between theslidin 'g surfacesf.

1. In a machine of the type set forth, a tool plate mounted to rotatewith the rotating head of the machine; a-plurality of tools on saidplate, means for causing said plate to take up a position eccentric tosaid head to bring ,one or the 6th not said 'toolsriearer the axis ofrotation and means for storing up the force exerted on said plate dueto-it's eccentric position.

2': Ida machine of the type set forth a tool platemounted to rotate withthe rotating head of the inaehine, a tool on said plate, means for'di'spla'cingsaid plate relatively; to saidhead to varythe distance ofsaid tool from, the axisio'f rotation of said head, abutments on saidplate andon said head and a rubber insert located between saidabutmentsa and adapted-to be com-- of the machine, atoolon said plate,means for displacing said plate relatively tosaid; head to vary thedistance of said tool from the axis of rotation of said head; abutmen-tson said plate and on said head and a radially; disposed'spring, locatedbetween said abutments and adapted to 5 be compressed on displacementoisaid tool, away plate mounted to rotate with the. rotating head of themachine, apivot for said tool plate on said head, a pin on said headnormally located in line with said pivot and the axis of rotation of themachine on the side of said axis remote from said vpivot and the axis ofwhich is? inclined to the plane containing the axis of rotation-andtheaxis of said-pivot, and which pinpasses through a correspondinglyinclined hole in said plate, means for displaci-ngsaid pin paralleltoithe axis of rotation whereby said tool "pl-ate isdi'spl-aced aboutsaid pivot, andaresili'ent means located between said tool plateandysaid head adapted to be compressed by saidgdisplacement.

5. 'In amachine of the type set forth, a tool plate mounted to rotatewith the rotating head ofthe machine and having its center of mass inthe axis of rotation, means for -.-displacing said center of masswhereby centritugal'force tends to increase saiddisplacement and-separate resilient means for storing up theforcethus exerted onsaidplate in onedireetion or thepther.

6. --In a machine of the type set forth, a :tool plate 'inountedto'rotate with the rotating head of the maehine aneccentricpivot-for:saidtool plate on said rotating head, two toolsmounted on saidplate and adaptedito be advancedtowards the axisefrotation -by movementfcf said tool-plate about said pivotjnonesenseorthe other,-- a pin traversing said tool plate end-mountblocks--located on opposite sides ;of 1 said pi'vot between abutments formedrespectively onsaid tool plate and said rotating head;andaadapted=;to

, vary the distance of said tool from the axis of abutment for saidplunger on said tool plate be compressed by said pivotal movement ofsaid tool plate.

7. In a machine of the type set forth, a tool plate mounted to rotatewiththe rotating head of the machine, an eccentric pivot for said toolplate on said rotating head, two tools mounted on said plate and adaptedto be advanced towards the axis of rotation by movement of said toolplate about said pivot in one sense or the other, a pin traversing saidtool plate and mount.-

ed for rotation with and for axial movement relatively to said head andsaid tool plate and in clined so that such axial movement produces saidpivotal movement of said tool plate, two helical springs located onopposite sides of said pivot between abutments formed respectivelyonsaid tool plate and said rotating. head and adapted to be compressed bysaid'pivotal movement of said tool plate. i l

8. In a machine of the type set forth, a tool plate mounted torotatewith the rotating head of the machine, atool on said plate, means fordisplacing said plate relatively to said head to rotation of said head,a blind bore in said head, a closely fitting plunger in said, bore andan whereby said plunger is caused to move axially in said bore ondisplacement of said tool plate; I 9. In a-machine of the type setforth,-a tool 'plate mounted to rotate with the rotating head ofthemachine, a tool on said plate, means for displacing said platerelatively to said head to vary the distance of said tool from the axisof rotation of said head, two oppositely disposed blind bores in saidhead, a compressible fluid in said bores, a closely fitting plunger ineach of said bores and abutments for said plungers on said tool platewhereby on displacement of said tool plate said plungers are causedtomove axially one into and the other out of its bore.

10. A machine for working on metal and like materials, comprising apower driven rotary head,

a tool holder mounted onsaid head to rotate therewith and to be movedtowards and away from the axis of rotation and relatively to said head,a tool in said holder and resilient means located betweensaid toolholder and said rotary head so as to be compressed-when said tool holderis moved in the direction in which. the

' 12. machine for working on metaland like materials, comprising arotary head, a tool plate mounted to rotate about the axis of rotationof said head and tobe moved relatively thereto, a

tool mounted on said plate to partake of movement therewith andresilientmeans located between said tool plate and said rotary head soas to be compressed when the center of gravity of said tool plate andany parts moving with it is displaced away from said axis of rotation.

13. A machine for working on metal and like materials, comprising arotary head, a tool plate mounted to rotate about theaxis of rotation ofsaid head and to be moved relatively thereto, a

plurality of tools mounted on said plate to partake of movementtherewith and adapted to be brought into and out of operation bymovement of said tool plate relatively to said rotary headand'resilient-means located between said tool plate and said rotary headso as to be compressed when the center of gravity of said tool plateandany parts moving with it is displaced away from said axis of rotation;

141A machine for working on metal and like 2 materials, comprising arotary'head, a tool plate mounted to rotate about the axis of said head,i

at least one tool mounted on said plate, means for causing said toolplate to take up a position eccentric to said rotary head to bring atool into operation and resilient means located between said tool plateand said rotary head so as to exert on said tool plate a returning forceproportional to the eccentricity of said tool plate" 15.. A machine forworking on metal and like materials, in which the tools rotate about thework, comprising a tool mounted for pivotal movement and to rotate withthe rotating head of the machine, means for pivoting said toolrelatively to said head andresilient means located between said tool andsaid head andadapted to be compressed when said tool is moved away fromthe axis of rotation of said rotary head.

16. A machine for working, on metal and like materials comprising atleast one tool mounted to rotate about the axis of ro-tation of themachine, means associated with each toolfor moving said tools towardsand away from the axis of rotation and resilient means associated witheach tool mounted so as to becompressed whensaid tool is moved away fromthe axis of rotation.

' 17. A machine for working on metal andlike materialscomprising atleast one toolmounted to rotate about and be moved towards 'andaway fromthe axis of rotation of the machine, means for positively-actuating saidtool to bring it into 1 .and out of operation, and resilient meansmount-' ed to be compressed when the said tool is moved away from theaxis of rotation.

ALBERT FREDERICK JAMES WRIGHT.

